Unexpected (GL) - Chapter 13

How did Qin Ning know everything? They had only lived together for just over a month, yet Qin Ning even figured out her period schedule. Xie Jing’s period was coming in the next couple of days, and eating cold food today might give her a stomachache. But she was really craving it.

“Hahaha, you can eat hot liangpi,” Gu Shiwei said, gracefully picking up a strip of liangpi and putting it in her mouth. Then she pulled out her phone from her pocket and messaged Lin Qinghuan from the medical university next door, inviting her to come join them for barbecue.

In the end, Xie Jing didn’t get to eat the liangpi. She walked to a stall selling grilled tofu and ordered a serving of it. Qin Ning stayed close by, watching her like a hawk, and handed her an orange to eat first to protect her stomach.

After flipping the tofu several times on the iron griddle, the stall owner asked Xie Jing if she wanted it medium spicy or extra spicy. But before she could answer, Qin Ning quickly said, “No spice at all. She doesn’t eat spicy.”

The owner thought, How can you enjoy junk food without spice? But when he saw Xie Jing’s fair face, he didn’t hesitate and avoided the chili sauce.

“One iron plate squid, please,” said Gu Shiwei. “And one egg fried rice with sausage.”

“Coming right up~” replied the stall owner.

In just a short while, the liangpi in Gu Shiwei’s hand had somehow turned into stewed noodles. Xie Jing looked at her in amazement. How long has she been hungry?

“Want a bite?” Gu Shiwei offered.

Xie Jing leaned away and nodded furiously at Qin Ning.

When Xie Jing started eating her grilled tofu, their group of three became four. The new addition was Gu Shiwei’s childhood friend—seemed to be named Lin Qinghuan. She was off for the day and
happened to be shopping nearby with classmates, so she arrived quickly.

Lin Qinghuan was very talkative and bombarded Xie Jing with questions. Even the extra-ingredient fried rice couldn’t keep her quiet.

Seeing this, Qin Ning suggested they split up. Lin Qinghuan and Gu Shiwei went to explore the other side of the market, while Qin Ning took Xie Jing into a rice noodle roll shop.

Once inside, Xie Jing quickly shoved the remaining tofu into Qin Ning’s hands and ordered rice noodle rolls and a three-delicacy soup. “I can’t eat anymore. There are spare skewers in the cup. If
you want it, eat it. If not, just toss it.”

Qin Ning silently ate all the leftover tofu and then ordered a serving of sliced pork from Fuding.

The shop was quite crowded. It took a while before Xie Jing and Qin Ning got a seat. Just as they sat down, the rice noodle rolls were ready. Xie Jing mixed the sauce with her chopsticks and was
about to eat when she noticed Qin Ning staring directly at her.

“Want the first bite?” Xie Jing offered, holding a piece of soft, sauce-covered rice noodle roll near Qin Ning’s mouth with her chopsticks.

“No need. Didn’t you just say you couldn’t eat anymore?” Qin Ning looked at the rice noodle rolls and asked, “Want to pack it and take it home?”

Xie Jing looked down shyly. “I just couldn’t eat the tofu~” She could still eat other things.

“I don’t eat mushrooms,” Qin Ning said in the end, refusing the rice noodle roll Xie Jing offered.

“But mushrooms smell so good,” Xie Jing muttered. “Who doesn’t like mushrooms?”

Wait… if Qin Ning doesn’t like mushrooms, why does she always eat with her at the cafeteria’s second-floor window where the braised pork rice and claypot rice both have lots of mushrooms?

Xie Jing glanced at Qin Ning suspiciously. Qin Ning’s expression was as calm as ever, completely unaware that her long-time pretense had just been exposed.

A vague suspicion quietly surfaced in Xie Jing’s mind.

“Your spicy pork slices are ready~”

“Your three-delicacy soup is ready~”

Xie Jing’s soup was brought over with Qin Ning’s dish. She glanced at the pork slices topped with seaweed and green onions but, as expected, no cilantro. Her mouth watered as she unconsciously
licked her lips.

“You can’t eat this,” Qin Ning said directly. “I added pickled peppers.”

“Just a sip of the soup, please?” Xie Jing begged, showing with her fingers the tiny amount she wanted. “I really miss the taste of dried shrimp.”

Qin Ning reluctantly moved the bowl closer to her, watching as she scooped up a spoonful of clear broth and sipped it.

The next second, Xie Jing’s face turned red like a cooked crab. “Cough, cough… So spicy!”

Qin Ning knew it—Xie Jing couldn’t handle even a little spice. She immediately went to a vending machine nearby and bought a bottle of yogurt, twisted the cap off, and handed it to her.

Xie Jing gulped down several mouthfuls. Only after the burning sensation in her mouth faded did she lower her head and obediently start sipping her own soup.

“Qin Ning,” she suddenly said while slurping up a strip of rice noodle roll.

“Hm?”

“Are Gu Shiwei and Lin Qinghuan a couple?” Xie Jing asked curiously, tilting her head.

“No.”

Xie Jing looked surprised. “Really?”

Can’t you tell Lin Qinghuan’s interested in you? Qin Ning thought. Those two clearly have overlapping tastes—they could never be a couple.

Xie Jing stared at Qin Ning while eating the entire portion of rice noodle rolls. She wiped her mouth with a napkin and was about to pay when Qin Ning suddenly said, “Already paid.”

Qin Ning put down her spoon too, and the two of them left the restaurant to stroll and digest their food.

“Sigh… such a shame my stomach can’t hold more,” Xie Jing said, still unsatisfied. She wished she could eat everything on this food street, but her stomach was too small and could only hold so much.

“We can come again next month,” Qin Ning said.

“Huh? Why next month?” Xie Jing asked in confusion.

“Because you can’t eat street food every day,” Qin Ning replied.

Xie Jing thought that made sense. Most food stalls didn’t have a proper business license, and hygiene was always a concern. It was okay to eat once in a while, but too often could make her sick.
Especially for someone like her with a weak stomach—she often got acute gastritis from bad food.

It was better to be careful.

As she thought this, her eyes lit up. “Wow, there’s fried banana over there. Want some?”

Qin Ning looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “You can still eat?”

Xie Jing instantly tossed aside all her earlier worries and gave Qin Ning a wordless grin: “Hehe~”

The fried banana was crispy on the outside and soft inside, with a fragrant aroma that filled her mouth with every bite. Xie Jing squinted in satisfaction and persuaded Qin Ning to try one too.

Qin Ning kept a calm face while eating. No matter how tasty or bad something was, she stayed expressionless. She was nothing like Xie Jing, who had a very expressive face and kept muttering “So
good, so fragrant” while eating.

“The fried rice cake is also so good, but I really can’t eat anymore,” Xie Jing said regretfully, nibbling on her golden-fried banana.

The night market stretched along a long street. Halfway through, Xie Jing and Qin Ning ran into Gu Shiwei and Lin Qinghuan, both holding skewers just like them.

“You’re done shopping already?” Xie Jing asked in surprise.

“No, just too full to go on,” Lin Qinghuan said miserably. “If we keep walking, I might throw up.”

“Pfft, hahaha… then let’s head back,” Xie Jing laughed.

She bought a few candied strawberry skewers and gave one to each person to take back to the dorm.

Lin Qinghuan held her red candied skewer with tears in her eyes and made plans with Xie Jing to hang out again.

Gu Shiwei and Qin Ning watched the two part reluctantly and looked at each other speechless. They’ve only known each other for less than a day—how are they already this close? What did we miss?

After splitting up, Gu Shiwei took a shortcut back to the South Dorms, while Xie Jing and Qin Ning slowly walked around the campus track.

It was 9:30 p.m. There were scattered figures around the field, mostly couples sitting together.

Xie Jing looked at them through the fence, her heart filled with envy.

Sigh… who told her to fall for a straight girl in this lifetime? She didn’t even dare confess—just secretly liked her. Probably won’t experience the joy of walking around the field with someone at
night during her whole four years of college.

“Hungry again?” Qin Ning suddenly asked.

“Huh?” Xie Jing was confused. Why did Qin Ning ask that?

“You’re staring at them with drool about to fall.”

“I just suddenly feel sad,” Xie Jing sighed. “Will I be alone for four years?”

“Want to fall in love?” Qin Ning raised her eyebrows.

Xie Jing hugged herself and shook her head. “Just feeling sentimental at night.”

Qin Ning advised, “Right now, what matters most is studying.”

“Only games and food are not to be let down,” Xie Jing immediately countered.

“…” Qin Ning was relieved. With Xie Jing being such a gaming addict, there was no way she’d fall in love on her own. Aside from eating and gaming, she hadn’t shown interest in anything else. That
thought eased her heart.

Then she sighed.

Xie Jing tilted her head and asked, “Why are you sighing now?”

“I like someone who’s dense.”

“Ha—” Xie Jing almost burst out laughing. She held it in, but when she saw Qin Ning’s slightly resentful expression, she couldn’t stop: “Hahahaha…”

After laughing, she quickly changed the subject. “Seeing everyone struggling with love makes me feel not so bad anymore.”

Sure enough, misery loves company.

“…Only the two of us are struggling,” Qin Ning said, forcing a weak smile. “You’re overthinking it.”

“Yeah, we’re both cowards,” Xie Jing laughed until her eyes teared up. “You’re scared to confess, and I’m scared to ask Shen Xinghe if she’s straight. We’re the same—headed for a lonely future.”

Qin Ning stared seriously into her teary eyes and said, word by word, “It’s not that I don’t dare confess—she already likes someone.”

“She just likes someone. They’re not together. Why can’t you still express your feelings?” Xie Jing said, patting Qin Ning’s shoulder like a wise elder. “If you like her, go for it. Don’t end up
like me, regretting the six years I missed.”

Qin Ning’s eyes flickered, her emotions uncertain. “You really think so?”

“Yeah, I’m also planning to find a chance to ask. If Shen Xinghe really is straight, I’ll keep my distance. If not… I’ll chase her,” Xie Jing said. “We can’t always be afraid. Ever heard this
saying? ‘The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago. The second-best time is now.’ Don’t leave yourself with too many regrets.”

Qin Ning held the hand Xie Jing had placed on her shoulder and said seriously, “Okay. I’ll listen to you.”